When the kids have gone home, the sand remains: Passing by a window, I saw a person calmly sweeping the floor, presumably in a kindergarten. This snapshot lingered with me as I made my way home. It reminds me of the joys of play and exploration… even if they sometimes bring in a bit of grime and dust!

The introduction to the Pantone color duo of the year 2016, ‘Rose Quartz’ and ‘Serenity’, promises “wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace”. But however soft and appealing, what if it get’s ugly under the surface?

I wanted to explore this contrast, sparked by these two articles I happened to come across roughly at the same time…

I like looking at art in museums. But there are those empty moments, questions and doubts as you walk past a lonely museum workshop room… What would it take for visitors to become more engaged? What would it take for an art museum to be more inclusive, social and playful?

There’s an art museum in Stockholm (or was it Munich?) that has installed a special system: Step too close to a painting and you will hear a soft warning sound, nudging you to take a step back. As you stroll through the display rooms you’ll hear a steady stream of these tones sounding from all around the museum… but what if you could get that up and close to an art piece?